A “superbug” outbreak at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center has claimed two lives, sickened seven people and another 179 patients were potentially exposed. Dr. Trevor Vanschooneveld is an infectious disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine in Omaha and says this superbug is a deadly bacterium known as CRE.
Dr. Vanschooneveld says there is good news. This bacterium is very rare in Nebraska, unlike Manhattan where 30% to 40% of bacteria is antibiotic resistant.
Health officials believe the “superbug” outbreak at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center was caused by a commonly used medical device, an endoscope. Dr.Vanschooneveld says they were properly cleaned.
